The Hotel group Marriott International will allow its guests to use their own wi-fi kits on the back of a fine-inducing complaint in the US.
The group had to cough up $600,000 after an objection was voiced that its own wi-fi was interfering with internet hotspots in one of its Nashville properties.
Marriott International stated in response that it only wished to disable such devices in its conference and meeting areas, and thought it had the right to do so, though the public's outcry has elicited a change in perspective: "Marriott International listens to its customers, and we will not block guests from using their personal wi-fi devices at any of our managed hotels," it responded in a statement.
The US Federal Communications Commission revealed that the hotel in question employed a wi-fi surveillance system which de-activated guests' hotspots.
It deemed the practice as "unacceptable," mentioning that the Nashville Marriott was charging conference attendees up to $1,000 per device for internet access.
